Roche left no note before taking own life at Hillsdale

The report also reveals that 41-year-old Lissa Roche was considering a divorce from George Roche III's son, George IV, and had briefly resigned from her position as editor of a Hillsdale publication a month before her suicide.

''I have been such an object in the college community for many years now,'' she wrote in a Sept. 8 resignation letter. ''I just want this to be as private as possible, and, most of all, I don't want to have to answer any questions.''

The alleged affair rocked the tiny campus, which Roche had transformed into a conservative powerhouse during the last 28 years. Roche, who abruptly retired Nov. 10, has denied the alleged affair to his son and to the college's board of trustees. Acting Hillsdale President Robert Blackstock said yesterday that he doesn't know Roche's whereabouts; the two haven't spoken since Nov. 10.

According to the police report, which was obtained by The Associated Press through a Freedom Of Information Act request, Lissa Roche called George Roche the morning of Oct. 17 to tell him she was going to commit suicide.

George Roche, a diabetic, was in the hospital but had his secretary call his son to tell him about Lissa Roche's threat. George Roche IV, a Hillsdale professor, left a class and went home to speak with Lissa Roche, who demanded they go to the hospital.

George Roche IV told police Lissa Roche repeatedly threatened to kill herself on the way to the hospital, prompting him to ask a nurse for the names of some counselors. Once they were in Roche's room, Lissa Roche told her husband, George Roche IV and Roche's new wife that she and Roche had an affair.

After George Roche IV and Lissa Roche returned home, Lissa Roche suggested that George Roche IV go to his grandmother's home to check on her. When George Roche IV returned, Lissa Roche had gone to a gazebo behind their home and shot herself in the head with a revolver from the family's gun case. George Roche IV told police that he, Lissa Roche and the couple's son all had keys to the gun case.

At first, George Roche IV told police Lissa Roche had been ''despondent for a while over family matters,'' particularly George Roche III's recent divorce and remarriage. In a later interview, George Roche IV admitted that Lissa Roche was upset about the alleged affair.

George Roche IV told police he had never heard Lissa Roche threaten suicide until that day, but that she had been agitated for some time. ''During the last month, Lissa had really changed. Lissa had become very flighty and depressed,'' the police report said, attributing the comments to George Roche IV.

While searching Lissa Roche's computer for a suicide note, police also discovered a resignation letter she had sent to college officials.

George Roche IV told police that Lissa Roche left him in early October, but had moved back home and was attempting to work things out.

Blackstock, the acting president who has been at Hillsdale for 23 years, said yesterday that ''the whole community has been hit pretty hard by the death of someone we all knew.''

Blackstock said George Roche IV is still employed by the school but isn't teaching. Blackstock, who was called to the scene by George Roche IV on the day of Ms. Roche's death, described himself as a good friend of George Roche IV but said they have rarely spoken since Ms. Roche's death.

Blackstock also said the college is planning to conduct an independent investigation to find out whether the affair occurred.

''There's an interest in knowing, certainly. Maybe we just can't know, maybe all this will be fruitless,'' he said.

''Our responsibility is to (the students). They've come here to get an education, and a darn fine one, I might add. We have an obligation to them.''

11-30-99